WHEN is a striker not a striker? When he scores two league goals in 45 matches.

Altidore is proving to be another Premier League striker flop [ED SYKES/ACTION IMAGES]

Jozy Altidore has this dismal record in the Premier League from his time at Hull and now Sunderland – and Wearside fans gave their own verdict when he was taken off midway through the second half.

Cheers rang around the Stadium of Light and they were not entirely reserved for substitute Steven Fletcher, who has a vastly superior scoring record but has been omitted in recent weeks for the American.

Connor Wickham, scoring freely on loan at Sheffield Wednesday, must also be wondering what he has done wrong as Altidore gets the nod.

All good forwards go through lean spells, but full-back Phil Bardsley looked far more likely to break the deadlock than Altidore, who had one good chance, only to delay and allow the Norwich defence, which had conceded seven at Manchester City and five at Liverpool, to regroup.

Sunderland boss Gus Poyet had a simple, if unrealistic, answer to their striking problems.

“We need to get Luis Suarez. I watched him a little bit this morning and he’s not bad, is he,” said Poyet.

“It’s not nice and you don’t enjoy it when everything is set for you to have a good game and a nice weekend, but it doesn’t happen.

“We were getting chances and missing from two yards. I think today gave us a clear picture of why we are bottom.”

We were getting chances and missing from two yards. I think today gave us a clear picture of why we are bottom

Gus Poyet

Altidore’s striking partner Fabio Borini has called for Sunderland supporters to be patient and accept that Poyet’s new style of play, based on retaining possession and thus tiring the opposition, will take time to filter through with improved results.

“The fans need to understand how we play and sometimes they are pushing us forward when we don’t need to go forward,” said Borini.

“They need to stay with us. We’re not playing English football, we’re trying to build something.”

Robert Snodgrass, playing for the first time since helping Norwich beat West Ham on November 9, said: “A point away is not to be sniffed at and earlier in the season we would have lost that game.

“Getting good results has given us a huge lift and we are three games unbeaten now. At the start of November we only had eight points so to go into Christmas six points above the bottom three is an achievement. It’s quite a turnaround.”